M. Mukundan

M. Mukundan
Born Maniyambath Mukundan
(1942-09-10) 10 September 1942
Mayyazhi, India
Occupation Writer, social activist, French Embassy employee, Kerala Sahitya Akademi President
Nationality India
Period 1961–present
Notable works Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil,
Daivathinte Vikrithikal

Maniyambath Mukundan, commonly known as M. Mukundan (born 10 September 1942), is one of the pioneers of modernity in Malayalam literature, born in Mayyazhi (Mahé), a one-time French territory in India. He is known in Kerala as Mayyazhiyude Kathakaaran (The story-teller of Mayyazhi). His native village of Mayyazhi figures in his early works: Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil, Daivathinte Vikrithikal, Appam Chudunna Kunkiyamma and Lesli Achante Kadangal.

Biography

He was born on 10 September 1942 at Mahe, then a French overseas territory and, since the 50's a part of Puducherry Union Territory in South India.[1]

His first literary work was a short story published in 1961. Mukundan has so far published 12 novels and ten collections of short stories (which totals 171 in numbers till 2012).[1] Mukundan's latest four novels Adithyanum Radhayum Mattu Chilarum, Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha, Kesavante Vilapangal and Nritham carries a change in structure and approach.

Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha reveals how Vasundhara, an actress has been insulted in the course of acting due to some unexpected situations. It proclaims the postmodern message that martyrs are created not only through ideologies, but through art also.

Kesavante Vilapangal (Kesavan's Lamentations) one of his most recent works tells the story of a writer Kesavan who writes a novel on a child named Appukkuttan who grows under the influence of E. M. S. Namboodiripad.[2] It won the Vayalar Award in 2003.[3] Daivathinte Vikrithikal (God's Mischief) collected the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and NV Prize.[4] Ee Lokam Athiloru Manushyan received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. Daivathinte Vikrithikal has been translated into English and published By Penguin Books India.[5][6][7]

In 2008, Mukundan's magnum opus Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil fetched him the award for the best novel published in the last 25 years. Three of his novels were made into feature films in Malayalam . Mukundan wrote the script and one of them secured a state film award.[8]

Mukundan's novel Pravasam (sojourn in non-native land) and tells the story of a Malayali whose journeys carry him around the world.[9]

The French government conferred on him the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 1998 for his contribution to literature.[10]

His novel Delhi Gadhakal (Tales from Delhi) was released in November 2011. In this work, the author takes us through his recollections in India's capital city, New Delhi.[11][12]

He served as the president of Kerala Sahitya Akademi from October 2006 until March 2010.[13]

Works

Novels

Short story collections

  • Anchara Vayasulla Kutti (1971)
  • Kallanum Policum (1990)
  • Kannatiyute Kaazhcha (1995)
  • Mukundante Kathakal
  • Nadiyum Thoniyum (1969)
  • Nagaravum Sthreeyum
  • Pavadayum Bikiniyum
  • Russia
  • Thanner Kudiyante Thandu (2013)[14]
  • Thattathippenninte Kalyanam (1985)
  • Thevidissikkili (1988)
  • Veetu (1967)
  • Veshyakale Ningalkkorambalam (1971)

Non-fiction

  • Enthanu Aadhunikatha? (1976)

Works translated

  • 1999. On the Banks of the Mayyazhi. Trans. Gita Krishnankutty. Chennai: Manas.
  • 2002. Sur les rives du fleuve Mahé. Trans. Sophie Bastide-Foltz. Actes Sud.
  • 2002. God's Mischief. Trans. Prema Jayakumar. Delhi: Penguin.
  • 2004. Adityan, Radha, and Others. Trans. C Gopinathan Pillai. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi.
  • 2005. The Train that Had Wings: Selected Short Stories of M. Mukundan. trans. Donald R. Davis, Jr. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
  • 2006. Kesavan's Lamentations. Trans. A.J. Thomas. New Delhi: Rupa.
  • 2007. Nrittam: A Malayalam Novel. Trans. Mary Thundyil Mathew. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen.

References

  1. 1 2 Shevlin Sebastian (13 June 2009). "About writer Mukundan". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Kesavan's Lamentations" Archived 2015-02-24 at the Wayback Machine.. Crossword Bookstores. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Vayalar award presented to Mukundan". The Hindu. 28 October 2003. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Authors". Katha.org. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. ↑ N. Kamala (5 January 2003). "Old orders, new claims". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty (31 October 2002). "Making mischief... .By God !". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Ravi Shankar Etteth NA (18 November 2002). "Heart of memory". India Today. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "State Film Awards 1969–2001". Information and Public Relations Department of Kerala. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "'Pravasam' is an attempt to redefine nostalgia, says M. Mukundan". The Hindu. 18 August 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Finished work belongs to readers: Mukundan". The Hindu. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  11. ↑ Shevlin Sebastian (28 October 2011). "The main character is Delhi". The New Indian Express. Shevlinsebastian.blogspot.in. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  12. ↑ M. Mukundan (21 November 2011). "ഇനി ഏത് ദേശത്തെക്കുറിച്ചാണ് ഞാൻ എഴുതേണ്ടത്?" (in Malayalam). Madhyamam Weekly. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  13. ↑ Kerala Sahitya Akademi Annual Report: 2010–2011 (PDF) (in Malayalam), Kerala Sahitya Akademi, p. 5
  14. ↑ "Latest books by Mathrubhumi: Thanner Kudiyante Thandu" Archived 2013-06-25 at the Wayback Machine.

Stories

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